食物的滋養是維持人體生長發育及各種活動的基本，是人體精氣神的來源。老年人因臟腑日虛及陰陽氣血虧損，又加上多有慢性病，所以極需要飲食來補充營養與熱量，增強體質，預防疾病，甚至控制及治療疾病，故一直以來，飲食養生為老年保健最基本的養生方法，也是最為行之有效的養生方法。中國醫學經三千多年來對老年飲食養生的實踐已累積豐富的經驗，主要的原則如本文有：食要定時；食要適量；飲食宜淡；食宜熟軟溫熱，細嚼慢嚥；早飯宜好，午飯宜飽，晚飯要少；均衡飲食；五味調和；因時調膳；根據不同體質或疾病，選擇合適的食物；飯後緩步，漱口及輕輕按摩腹部。護理人員及老年人若能掌握上述的飲食養生方法，對老年人的健康將有極大的促進。

Food-based nutrition is a main source of physical and spiritual energy and the basis of maintaining healthy growth, development, and regular activity. Because the elderly experience organ degeneration and insufficient energy and nutrition, together with chronic diseases, they need a diet able to deliver proper nutrition and calories. Such diets can help strengthen the physical condition, prevent disease, and even control and treat disease. Therefore, dietary regimens have been viewed as the most basic form of geriatric care, and have also proven highly effective. Traditional Chinese medicine has accu-mulated abundant experience in the implementation of dietary regimens for the elderly for more than three thousand years. Main Chinese medicine principles addressed in this article include: eating at set times; eating food in appropriate quantities; eating plain food items; eating food that is cooked, soft
and warm; chewing carefully and swallowing slowly; having a hearty breakfast, an adequate lunch, and a small dinner; maintaining a balanced diet; eating a mix of flavors; adjusting the diet as needed; choosing appropriate foods based on specific body needs / conditions / diseases; and taking regular walks, rinsing the mouth and massaging the abdomen gently after meals. These suggestions, if fol-lowed properly, can contribute significantly to elderly health.